Beyond Reform: Abolishing Prisons

Media

The United States has the highest imprisonment rate in the world. But is the problem simply that too many people are incarcerated - or is incarceration a problem, in and of itself? The US prison system, which is grounded in racism and economic injustice, is inherently destructive and must be abolished. Recorded at TEDxBaltimore January 2016.

Maya is Truthout's editor-in-chief and the author of Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn't Work and How We Can Do Better. Maya serves on the Board of Advisors at Waging Nonviolence.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.

Previously, she was a senior editor and reporter at Truthout, writing on US defense policy, the criminal legal system, campaign politics, and immigration reform. Prior to her work at Truthout, Maya was contributing editor at Punk Planet magazine. She has also written for the Guardian, In These Times, Ms. Magazine, AlterNet, Z Magazine, Bitch Magazine, Common Dreams, the New Jersey Star-Ledger and others. She also served as a publicity coordinator for Voices for Creative Nonviolence. Maya is on the Board of Advisors at Waging Nonviolence.

Beyond Reform: Abolishing Prisons

Media

The United States has the highest imprisonment rate in the world. But is the problem simply that too many people are incarcerated - or is incarceration a problem, in and of itself? The US prison system, which is grounded in racism and economic injustice, is inherently destructive and must be abolished. Recorded at TEDxBaltimore January 2016.

Maya is Truthout's editor-in-chief and the author of Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn't Work and How We Can Do Better. Maya serves on the Board of Advisors at Waging Nonviolence.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.

Previously, she was a senior editor and reporter at Truthout, writing on US defense policy, the criminal legal system, campaign politics, and immigration reform. Prior to her work at Truthout, Maya was contributing editor at Punk Planet magazine. She has also written for the Guardian, In These Times, Ms. Magazine, AlterNet, Z Magazine, Bitch Magazine, Common Dreams, the New Jersey Star-Ledger and others. She also served as a publicity coordinator for Voices for Creative Nonviolence. Maya is on the Board of Advisors at Waging Nonviolence.